Larry

English

English was a healthy scratch in Week 1 and rotated with Travis LaBoy yesterday, recording two tackles. The 2009 No. 16 overall pick is showing no signs of a breakout.

English has been on the field for the start of the offseason workout program. After missing 19 games due to a pair of left foot surgeries the past two seasons, the 2009 first-rounder is purely a wild card for the Bolts in 2012.

English has already missed practice time and the Chargers are losing patience, particularly after using a first-round pick on Melvin Ingram. English, 26, is no longer on scholarship. He’s missed 19 games through his first three NFL seasons, and tied a career low with two sacks in five 2011 appearances.

“For the first time in a long time, I don’t worry about my foot,” English said. “I don’t even think about it. I just go out there and go play.” English had two sacks and seven tackles in the preseason, and will be looking to earn a role in sub-packages behind Shaun Phillips, Jarret Johnson, and Melvin Ingram.

The right foot that has plagued English for the past few years has been healthy for a while, but a sore groin forced him to miss the opening OTAs. With the offseason additions of Jarret Johnson and first-rounder Melvin Ingram, English will be limited to a situational pass-rushing role in 2012.

English started the Chargers’ last eight games but is rotated heavily with Shaun Phillips and Jarrett Johnson. An MRI on Monday confirmed the initial diagnosis of a strain, so there’s a chance he’ll return in Week 13.

The Chargers are desperate for linebackers with Melvin Ingram (ACL surgery) out for the year. Dwight Freeney was signed on Saturday and will replace Ingram in a pass-rushing role, but English is still expected to see an increase in defensive snaps. The 16th overall pick in 2009, English has been a massive bust to this point. He had a career-low 1.5 sacks in 14 games last season.

English is coming off offseason foot surgery and missed three of four preseason games. He says he’s “100 percent,” but the coaches may feel otherwise. The 2009 No. 16 overall pick has rarely been healthy during his NFL career.

No official word yet, but this is almost certainly another issue with English’s troublesome left foot. The No. 16 overall pick in the 2009 draft underwent a second operation on the foot in March and never seemed to fully recover. He has played in just 13 games over the last two seasons.

The 16th pick in the 2009 draft, English will require a third surgery on his troublesome left foot. English will end up having missed 19-of-32 possible games over the past two seasons. The Chargers probably aren’t ready to completely turn the page, but that time is nearing. English has failed to establish himself as a starting-caliber player with seven sacks in 29 career games.